June 30 - Monday: Being A Victim

Nothing is my fault...I am a victim...
Some folks are so externally motivated that they lose all self-empowerment. Such people lumber through life, making excuses about why they can't achieve a goal. Fat people are notorious for this.

I am fat, because of my genes, the GMO foods, life stress....or some other psychological "factor"...

BULLSHIT! 

The main "factor" is an open mouth. At day's end each person is either self-empowered enough to govern their choices or not. Nature cares nothing for our "factors", platitudes, good intentions or excuses. Nature just is. And nature rewards good choices.

It's simple: calories in vs calories burned. That's it! 

We all have a calorie limit, and once it's discovered, we work with it. I can change my actions but not my defective, putrid genes. And our obesity issue in our nation is not a gene problem but an action problem. The progress we make is the result of unaltered genes but altered actions.

At day's end, our bodies remain the one area of life where most have near total control. Excuses can't take away from the notion of calories in vs calories burned. When I eat too much, I get fat. There has never been anything mythical about what remains the end truth in any effort to avoid or cure obesity.

As always, the ball's in our court, and we can either play the victim or play to win.

ALL IS POSSIBLE! 

Saturday - June 29: Do What You Enjoy!

Matching Exercise With Passion

I train about 3 hours nearly every day. Some have said this is excessive, and those same guys will sit and watch 4 hours of TV every day. then wonder why they're fat.
That's most people.

When guys ask me what is the very best, most effective exercises, I can't really answer. Swimming is nice unless you hate swimming. And while there will always be an element of resistance to training, for the most part, you must try to do something you enjoy. Don't merely exercise...play!

OK, biking is the best exercise - better than anything...for me...some days...
Why?
I LOVE BIKING...some days...
I also love MMA, hiking, swimming and playing tennis. My training sessions are me at play,  having fun and earning results with my health and fitness goals. When you hear people say fitness is more about lifestyle, this is what they mean.

DO WHAT YOU ENJOY!
And again, this does not mean that there won't be times when you'd rather just lay down and gel before the TV. You must still engage discipline and work ethic, but matching your training routines to what you enjoy makes the process easier.

I prefer calisthenics over lifting weights; I prefer hiking or swimming over jogging. It's possible some of these activities I hate would indeed be more effective if all I look at is what's on paper. My aim is to enjoy what I do, so what's most effective objectively is totally non-effective if I just blow it off and skip training that day.
And that is most people...

Our goals must be to realize measurable results over a specific time period. END OF STORY!
This ONLY comes through consistent work. Nature does not care about your good intentions, platitudes or excuses. Nature just is...and nature rewards or punishes depending on the choices we make in life.

Find a way to integrate your passions into all that you do. Choose wisely...choose life!

ALL IS POSSIBLE!

Saturday - June 28. Goals: The Key To Success

Goals: The Key To Success

"Goal"
If I could sum up success and achievement in a single word, this is  it.

Most people are without goals in life. They just wonder through the days hoping all works out for the best. Sometimes it does but most times not.
Oh well....

Here's the deal: you can have some success just living life and doing good things; however, if you want to be your best, you need to set goals, make a plan, take action, stay motivated and keep punching. That's it!
It's not rocket science, yet most people just won't do take the effort, and this is why most never reach potential.

When it comes to goals, you must address all areas of your life as though they were spokes in a wheel. A wheel may function with a spoke or two missing, but for optimal performance, address everything in life that matters. The price of success is hard work both intellectual and physical. 

You must write down your goals based on your passions coupled with what is realistic. There are tons of resources available for those seeking to take ownership of their lives by addressing goal setting and achievement. 

Here is one terrific article: http://www.mindtools.com/page6.html

Our purpose here is health and fitness, so you need to know all the target items related to what you seek for optimal wellness. 

• How much should you weight
• What is your best body fat
• Who can support you in your efforts
• Who will hinder you
• What foods should you eat
• What exercises should you do

And on...and on...

To become the best version of yourself, the notion of specific. timely, attainable goals must be carefully considered. Great health and peak fitness does not just happen. You must want it enough to get real about exactly what you desire for yourself, make a plan, take action and see it all through to the end.

Success is a choice...and for those who set goals....

ALL IS POSSIBLE! 

Friday - June 26: Judging Others

Judging Others

Yesterday I saw a fat guy who had eaten himself huge, and he was my height and build. This guy looked just like me at my fattest. I immediately hated him.

And I had to catch myself. AGAIN!
One of my biggest challenges today is in how I view fat people. They disgust me, yet when I was fat, I had actually allowed the self-delusion to sink in to the point of total denial. I was not fat - just big, and I carried it well!
Right?
Well, no, I did NOT! I was FAT -- F.A.T
                                         F=FATAL
                                         A= AWFUL
                                         T= TERRIBLE
One would think if anybody would empathize with other fat people it'd me me, but no...
I JUDGE THEM! 
And these slugs are everywhere, lumbering around the community...eating crap foods...talking... texting and just being loathsome. I see in them everything I hated about myself. At day's end it's more about my own self-loathing - not actual hatred of others. The truth is that my heart goes out to fat people, because I totally understand that struggle, and yet I still judge. I think most people do as well.

Our bodies are the one sliver of life where most have near total control, and when we allow ourselves to get fat and gross, people will judge. That's just reality. Fat is ugly, and a fat body denotes laziness, poor discipline and gluttony. When I was trying to get introspective about this, it suddenly hit me. I had without drama quietly severed all my connections with fat friends and associates.
In life you know guys by the friends they keep, and I have new connections with guys into hiking, swimming, MMA, tennis and training at the gym instead of eating and drinking.

I just don't want to hang with those dying the slow death of obesity. This does not justify being harsh or mean toward others, but it does validate the notion that like attracts like. When a person eats himself fat, people judge. They may not say it, but they do - ALL THE WAY! I am treated by others much differently as a fit guy vs a fat guy. I am treated better, and life is just more enjoyable.

That's just reality, so guys can either suck it up, or take ownership of their health. It always gets back to that. Life is governed by choice...so decide what is important. The world will judge either way.

ALL IS POSSIBLE! 

Thursday - June 25...SLEEP

SLEEP

I remember sleeping more when I was young.  Somewhere in my mid-20's, I started getting less sleep. It started when I went into business and began dealing with the real pressures of life. My health suffered, but I did not see the actual effects until my late 30's.

I GOT FAT!
This obesity was the result of poor nutrition, lack of exercise and crappy sleep. We all know to eat right and exercise, but are you sleeping well?

I had to directly address the sleep problem just like the more obvious concerns like diet and exercise.
The damage was severe but not something I was unable to tackle.

My degeneration had been a slow creep that lasted until age 45 where I went from 190 pounds up to almost 280 pounds. I was a borderline diabetic, suffered high blood pressure, high cholesterol, had to use a C-Pap to breathe at night and looked and felt horrible all the time. Something had to change, so I decided it had to be me.

It was simple but hard. I did not take any supplements or subscribe to any “diets”.

I ate lean meats, fresh fruits and veggies, whole grains, nuts and low fat dairy – simple. I trained both cardio and strength daily as well as addressed the sleep issue. My progress was 50% nutrition and 25% exercise and 25% sleep and overall rest. We need all issues addressed to reach our health and fitness goals.

Today, I am in my 50's with the health of guys half my age. If I can do it, so can you!

ALL IS POSSIBLE! 

Wednesday - June 24: Training Intensity

Training Intensity 

There has always been a single truth regarding exercise: the greater the intensity, the greater the results.
Here is another truth you'd best heed: the greater the intensity, the greater the injury risk. 

When we were young, our bodies were equipped to recover, so injuries were a minor setback. As we grow old, this ceases to be the case. An injury can cripple a seasoned citizen. At some point we need to get real about exercise intensity weighed against the results we seek within reason given our age.

I hate that shit!

There is an old saying: "...inside every old guy is a young guy screaming what happened?" Our minds remember what we used to do, and we still think we can do that. WRONG!
Don't bust up your body competing with your younger self. Our goals should always be to become the best version of ourselves no matter what stage of life we're in.

Too many guys sideline themselves overreaching their intensity level given the realities of those aging bodies. Don't do that!  You must find your zone where attainable goals can be achieved with sensible training that does not break you down. Train hard...and train smart!

ALL IS POSSIBLE! 

Tuesday June 23 - More on Body Re-composition

What is body re-composition?

If you were fat and reached your weight loss goal, body re-composition is maintaining that weight while lowering body fat. And it's a slow process.

I have a weekly routine that involves very specific items related to diet and exercise that seem complicated.
I start on Sunday doing intense cardio with biking, swimming and tennis - about 4 hours total. I eat about 4000 calories that day which comes to a net intake of -1000 calories. In other words at day's end, I have a 1000 calorie deficit. Further, I balance the macro nutrients to raise protein and lower carbs a bit.
Here is the breakdown: 40% Protein, 40% Carb, 20% Fat

The very next day would then be a strength training day where I eat to a 1000 calorie surplus and balance by macro's differently: 20% Protein, 50% Carb, 30% Fat
Any cardio I might do is low intensity, and again, I must eat back those calories for a +1000 calorie net gain.
And this cycle goes on with some rest days sprinkled in as needed.

Here is an article on body re-composition that explains it in more detail.
http://www.askmen.com/sports/bodybuilding_900/988_body-recomposition.html

And there are various other resources you can research, but I'd stray away from buying anything unless you really need the support of one of several body recomp communities. That's your choice.

The purpose for engaging this method of self-improvement is to have new goals once you reach your target weight . Too many people lose weight, quit on themselves and gain it all right back.
You never want that to be you.

SUCCESS IS A CHOICE! 

Monday, June 23 - The Exercise Transition

The Exercise Transition 

When I turned age 50, my uncle gave me some advice: "stop lifting heavy while you can still lift heavy".
Huh?
I asked him what he meant, and my uncle explained. He had always been a guy I wanted to model myself after when it comes to training into old age. My uncle had always been strong and lifted heavy into his 60's, but somewhere in that decade of life, he developed arthritis attributed to his strength training.
Today he barely can lift his own arms.
Suddenly, this guy is NOT my ideal to strive toward.
I have slowly began lifting lighter and lighter weights with higher reps in an effort to maintain muscle but preserve my joints and overall health. That is the end goal, but male ego has a way of nipping at the edges of our conscience. LIFT HEAVY YOU WIMP!
That pride run riot is how old guys get hurt, and those injuries are a mild nuisance to a young guy but potentially crippling to an old man. My goal is to live well into old age and remain active. The aim is health, wellness and peak fitness, and that's not possible competing with my younger self.

So, work hard, but work smart! We don't want to end up some old guy who was robbed of an active life because of pride and ego. Our success if a function of choice, and I choose health!

ALL IS POSSIBLE!

Saturday - June 21...Water

Water

As an active guy, I am always concerned about water. Average people are advised to drink 8 glasses of water per day which would last me about 2 hours. I drink a half gallon of fresh juice through the day in addition to that much pure water or green tea.

Liquids to avoid would be any types of alcoholic beverage, soda or caffeine laced "energy" drink. Another drink scam are those "fruit" drinks with mostly sugar water mixed with a tiny bit a actual juice and artificial flavoring. If you're going to even bother, drink 100% pure water or fresh juice you make yourself. 

A single glass of fine wine is OK too. 

It's your health, and just like you are what you eat...you are also what you drink.

ALL IS POSSIBLE! 

Friday - June 20th -- Supplements

I detest supplements.
These products typically do not match the label claims and make outlandish assertions regarding the affect of a product. These crooks prey on weak, lazy people all looking for the magic bullet to keep from eating clean and exercising hard.
Get a clue: there is no such easy, soft path that leads to success but hard work and discipline.
That's it, and whole food intake remains the best source of nutrition - PERIOD!

Eat leans meats, fresh fruits and veggies, nuts, whole grains and raw dairy.
SIMPLE!
And stay the hell away from supplements! If man makes it, you're better off not eating it.

Guys see my results and ask...what are my training routines...and what supplements do I take. 

They just don't get it. 70% of the equation is nutrition...what you eat. 30% is exercise - both cardio and resistance. The exercise is actually the simple part of reaching peak fitness. 

Just do something that includes both elements of aerobic and strength training. It does not require buying books, CD's or anything but plain effort.

You, and ONLY you are the author of your success, and there are no shortcuts. The more you put in...the more you get out. 

ALL IS POSSIBLE! 

Thursday - June 19th...LOOKING BACK

As I look forward to what lies ahead, it's important to understand how I got here.
When I was young, I was in peak physical condition.....

It was always a priority with me to be my best as a fighter, and that meant keeping fit. As the years passed, my fitness level remained constant. Into my 30's I maintained everything just fine. 

The challenge arose around  age 40 when I suffered injuries that kept me out of the gym. It was like somebody hooked me up to an air pump. I bloated up like a blimp. 

It sucked being fat. I had to sleep with a C-PAP to clear away the throat blubber in order to breathe. My blood pressure was up and I was a borderline diabetic. As soon as I could, I started training again and addressing diet for the very first time. I was always that guy who could eat anything but no more.

The rules change for athletes once middle age arrives. Gone are the days of eating whatever...whenever...

75% of the equation is nutrition when it comes to optimal health and peak fitness. Today, all is well...

 I have recovered my health, but the work is so much more difficult. I train around 3 hours daily. This level of fitness is not a fluke or the result of good genes. I work hard as well as smart. Somebody asked me if 3 hours per day might be overdoing it. NOPE!

In life you get what you work for. Nature rewards those who train long, hard and smart. Nature does not care about our excuses or platitudes. Nature...just is...and considering the 4 hours the average American watched TV per day, does 3 hours of training and ZERO TV really seem that out of line?

I think not!

In life we make choices, and nature rewards or punishes us based on these decisions.
Such is life.

ALL IS POSSIBLE! 

Wed June 18...Body Recomposition

Body Recomposition

Many people try to lose weight, and the few who succeed seldom maintain their result. This is an ugly reality few are willing to address. Once I reached my desired weight, it was time to set new goals, but instead of more weight loss, I first research Body Recomposition.
Consider the following pics outlining the results of guys engaged in this endeavor.


The key is weight maintenance and body fat reduction. There are plenty of testimonials from guys who have accomplished this goal, and now add Rob Clary to this list. I was 190 lbs @ 22% body fat, and after 2 years of work, my current body fat is 15%. I maintained weight and went from pants size 36 to 32 and still weigh around 190 pounds.

It's a slow process, and you must stick to clean eating and training that involve a concept called "Calorie Cycling". There are guys who sell this, but I just found several articles that spell it out. Like most things related to diet and fitness, it.s not complicated but just damn hard to do.

Here is an article that outlines the program. 

Body Recomposition - CLICK HERE

The key is slow, steady progress, and it takes patience and effort. Nothing worth having in life comes easy.

ALL IS POSSIBLE! 

June 17, Tuesday 2004 - My Fat Self vs Today...

The Lifestyle of the Fit

I remember as a young guy being very fit, and the key then as it is now was focus.
Health and wellness is not about oppressive diets and training routines but an attitude that sets a person apart from the slugs wasting away in failure. Consider:

Those who are very fit...

1. enjoy an active lifestyle
2. get plenty of sleep
3. don't go on "diets"
4. hang out with other fit people
5. write down goals

Folks, in life, success is a choice, and we actually become our mind's focus. 

If our nerve center in life is food and drink, guess what?

The choice is ours alone, and we all own our results - good or bad.

Our bodies are a reflection of our character, work ethic and values. And it's governed completely by the decisions we make which again, are a function of focus.

ALL IS POSSIBLE! 

Monday - June 14, 2014

BLOATED! 

I took 2 days rest - rest from training as well as diet.
Both my weight and waist measurement register high - no shock there. Part of making progress are times like this where you take three steps forward but two steps back. One of the reasons guys don't reach their fitness goals is an inability to accept the body's need for recuperation.

So, I feel ready for a hard week of intense training and totally clean eating. When our goals are long-term, planned setbacks are just a part of the overall process. Less really is more.

ALL IS POSSIBLE! 

Sunday - June 13 2014

Happy Father's Day to all you dads...

OK, back to the blog...

Yesterday was my official "rest day", so I wake up feeling less than  refreshed, and  something is just not right. Learn to listen to your body. My written program says that I am to bike 25 miles followed by a swim and some calisthenics strength training.
Guess what?
It's just not happening. I still feel burned out and my joints ache, so today is another rest day, and today's routine will bump back 1 day. This is how things go sometimes. We devise what we believe is the best diet and exercise program only to discover that it might over-reach. Those who try to push through anyway find their performance suffers and the risk of injury is high.
Again, listen to your body.
Our fitness is for life, so it's never a race. Those who race with nature come in dead last eventually.
Don't be that guy.

ALL IS POSSIBLE~! 
And again, Happy Father's Day! 

Saturday - June 14th, 2014 - FREE DAY!

I love to train and enjoy getting results. It is a function of hard work in terms of diet and exercise.
Sometimes I feel guilty when I have a diet "FREE DAY" or a training "REST DAY".
These days are important. Sometimes less is actually more.
Consider:

• Your Body Needs Recovery Time
• Your Mind Needs Rest

When you plan this day and lay off, you're actually addressing your goals both physiologically and psychologically. It's good to shock your body every now and again with a solid feeding to stimulate metabolism. Also, it's easier push away from the table on training days, knowing that I am not that far off from having anything I desire to eat - just not on training day.

I lost over 75 lbs allowing for a diet free day as well as 2 days per week where I did ZERO training.
This works differently for each of us. When I was fat, it was a 24 hour food binge. Today, my training rest day is mostly reading and naps coupled with 3 cheat meals and a few snacks.

And progress continues...

Don't fear rest and recovery days...and liberate yourself from clean eating once per week to reset your mind and body. It works.

ALL IS POSSIBLE!

FRIDAY 13th - June.....

HOW TO GET FIT

As I have said, getting fit is simple but hard.
It's 70% nutrition. You eat clean: lean meats, fresh fruits and veggies, nuts, whole grains and low fat dairy.
SIMPLE!

Once you define clean eating, you track calories. There are many free Internet resources that help you log in your food intake. I used My Fitness Pal: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/
My Fitness Pal not only tracks food but makes daily calorie recommendations based on TDEE, BMR and how you can eat well and lose 1 pound per week.

My Fitness Pal also tracks daily activity and exercise to weigh against food intake. Your daily cardio and strength training is VERY important, but again, your main focus is diet. I train 5 days per week 3 hours per day, so my food intake is very high: 4000 calories per day.

It's different for everybody, and again, your goal is to eat around a 500 calorie daily deficit to lose 1 pound per week. A single pound does not sound like much, but it is. That's 4+ pounds per month and 52 pounds per year, and that's the best way to think about it. LONG TERM! 
Fitness is for life, and we should not think about our wellness in terms of some temporary diet but a lifestyle to embrace.

ALL IS POSSIBLE!

Thursday - June 12, 2004 - Being Fat...

Why We Get Fat
Our bodies are geared to survive, but our technological and societal advances outpaced our physiological evolution. Basically, humans are no different today  than our distant ancestors who lived 25,000 years ago,
We get fat so well, because that meant survival in times of famine back in the day of primitive humans.

Today, we are no longer faced with the issues of seasonal famines. Our food supply is stable.
And we've become fat - very fat. The challenge in our modern world is how to eat right and be healthy.
Our bodies are the one area of life where most guys can affect the greatest control. When we eat ourselves fat, that denotes laziness, greed and a lack of character.

Further, being fat is just ugly. The key to taking ownership of your health is knowing why your body stores fat and how to adjust to this reality. It's actually very simple but also very hard.
It's calories in vs calories burned.

It's that simple, but the doing of proper diet and effective exercise is hard. Tomorrow, I will share how I earned my results. ALL IS POSSIBLE!

Wed - June 11 - Age is a state of mind

I realize that as we age, our bodies change, and we can't pretend that we're forever 20 years old.
That's not realistic. My goal is to just be the best version of myself no matter my age.

Too often people used age as an excuse to give up on themselves which is why so many go to pot in middle age. Don't be that guy!

TUE - June 10, 2014 - INTRODUCTION

I was always a fit lad and maintained this into my 30's. I went from fit to fat over 10 years and decided that I just did not want to be that middle aged fat guy. NO THANKS! 

 
I started logging my food and exercises, and here is the reality. Nutrition is 70% of the health equation.
EAT LESS-MOVE MORE  - simple but hard, hard, hard. The result of all this is summed up in my level of fitness today.
Age is no excuse! ALL IS POSSIBLE